Govt appoints 12 new VCs for central universities

Govt appoints 12 new VCs for central universities

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:24.07.2021

The government announced the appointment of vice chancellors to 12 central universities (CUs) on Friday.

“The VC appointments have been approved by the President for 12 central universities,” an ministry of education official said.

The newly appointed vice chancellors include Tankeshwar Kumar (Central University of Haryana), Prakash Bansal (Central University of Himachal Pradesh), Sanjeev Jain (Central university of Jammu), Kshitij Bhusan Das (Central University of Jharkhand), Battu Satyanarayana (Central University of Karnataka), Muthukalingan Krishnan (Central University of Tamil Nadu) and Basuthkar J Rao (Central University of Hyderabad).

Also appointed were Kameshwar Nath Singh (Central University of South Bihar); Prabha Shankar Shukla, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong; Alok Kumar Chakrawal (Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur); Syed Ainul Hasan, Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) and Lokender Singh, Manipur University.

Union minister of education Dharmendra Pradhan had on Thursday informed the Rajya Sabha that a total of 22 posts of vice chancellors in central universities are vacant, out of which appointments to 12 posts have already been finalised by the Visitor, President Ram Nath Kovind.

The 10 universities, which still continue to operate without full time vice chancellors, include Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Surfeit of 95%-plus scores forces CBSE result revision

Surfeit of 95%-plus scores forces CBSE result revision

Hemali.Chhapia@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:24.07.2021

The CBSE board is faced with a unique problem this year: A sudden spike in high achievers. After the board’s software pored over the data submitted by schools, it recently found the count of candidates with 95%-plus had zoomed way above the previous years’ numbers.

The board was thus forced to reject a lot of the data, and it asked schools to rework their numbers, scale down the results and re-submit them by July 25. Little wonder then that its Class X results are likely to witness a delay. Earlier, schools across India were to submit the data by June 30, the deadline for which was extended to July 5.

“After that, we noticed that some schools had not followed instructions given to them for preparing the results based on the historical data. Also, some schools committed mistakes in uploading their data. Additionally, some schools have not yet submitted their data at all,” CBSE examination head Sanyam Bhardwaj told TOI.

There are two options in the CBSE results software: One, to upload the results data, and two, to submit the same after finalisation. “Most schools have uploaded the data, but have not submitted the same yet,” a source said. In Mumbai, some schools run by coaching classes and some popular chains of institutes were all pulled up for “inflated” scores.

Schools were asked to pick a reference year out of the past three (2018, 2019 and 2020) and stay in line with that performance. So, if a school picked 2018, when its performance was the most robust, results of 2021 had to be similar. If five students scored above 95%, then this time too, only five ought to be placed in the 95%-plus category, and so on and so forth.

“However, if a school in the reference year picked by them had two students with 95% or more, then this time they have four or five. Hence, we have asked them to streamline their results,” added Bharadwaj.

Students in Birbhum district of Bengal gather to collect their marksheets after the state declared class 12 results on Friday

TN readies to purchase 12L vaccines from private sector

TN readies to purchase 12L vaccines from private sector

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:24.07.2021

The state health department is working out plans to purchase the 12 lakh doses of anti-covid vaccines allotted to the private sector in Tamil Nadu in the next eight days utilising CSR funds so people can be vaccinated free of cost, health minister Ma Subramanian said here on Friday.

The minister held a consultation meeting with doctors and hospital administrators from122 hospitals in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Vellore, Tirupathur and Ranipet to discuss the number of vaccines they can procure under CSR funds. Earlier in the week, the minister met doctors and hospital administrators in the Western districts. Senior officials from the directorate of public health were a part of the meeting.

Since June 21, the centre has decided that it will purchase 75% of the vaccines produced in the country and allot them to the state for the free vaccination programme. The remaining 25% of vaccines are purchased by private hospitals. For July, Tamil Nadu has been allotted 72 lakh doses of the vaccine of which 17 lakh is earmarked for private hospitals. “So far private hospitals have paid money for 5 lakh doses of which they have received 2.42 lakh doses. They are still left with12 lakh doses of vaccine, which should be purchased by the end of the month. We want to ensure that we use all the vaccines allotted to the state,” Subramanian said.

Although people are willing to take the vaccine, many cannot afford the vaccine at private hospitals— ₹750 for Covishield and ₹1,400 for Covaxin, he said. Since May 1, private hospitals in the state have purchased 18.7 lakh doses of the vaccine, of which 13.3 lakh have been used. The state, meanwhile, has administered 1.8crore doses taking the dosage tally to 2crore – 16%. For the 6crore adult population, the state has to administer 12 crore doses. “While people who want to pay for their vaccines will still have the options open, those who want free vaccines can also avail them from private hospitals,” he said.

Man jumps off Napier Bridge, rescued

Man jumps off Napier Bridge, rescued

Had Chronic Illness, Could Not Bear The Pain: Cops

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:24.07.2021

Police on Thursday afternoon rescued a 31-yearold who leaped into the Cooum river off the Napier Bridge to end his life, allegedly unable to come to terms with his chronic illness.

The man, later identified as Kamalakannan of Royapuram, was being sucked in by the sludge in the river when the law enforcers arrived. They dropped a rope near him and pulled him out.

Police said the incident came to light after a passerby saw Kamalakannan climbing over a wall of the bridge and jumping in around 1.30pm. He rushed to the police outpost at the southern end of the bridge and informed the personnel.

Saminathan, a policeman attached to the Anna Square station, was present there and informed his superiors. Triplicane assistant commissioner M S Baskar said the fire and rescue services personnel were busy battling the blaze at a five-storey commercial complex off Anna Salai. “We decided to respond ourselves. A team led by sub-inspector Thilagavathi and Sakthi Ganesh arrived at the spot in the next couple of minutes,” he said.

A 50-ft-long nylon rope was dropped near the man struggling in the river, with the police team members issuing instructions directing through a temporary public address system. He was asked to tie the rope around his waist and was slowly pulled out. Alerted earlier, an ambulance of the ‘108’ service was waiting and after paramedical staff had administered first aid, Kamalakkann was rushed to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.

The police team then called the family members of Kamalakannan, a resident of Thambu Chetty Lane in Royapuram, and informed them. A police officer quoting, Kamalakannan said he had been suffering from stomach pain for a long time and that he had decided to end his life as he had lost hope of being cured of the illness. Further investigations are on.

Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on Tamil Nadu’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.

Meat ban a basic rights issue, says U’khand HC

Meat ban a basic rights issue, says U’khand HC

Prashant.Jha@timesgroup.com

Nainital:24.07.2021

In a country where 70% of the population eats nonvegetarian food, the matter of banning meat is one that pertains to the fundamental rights of citizens and isn’t a majority versus minority issue, the Uttarakhand high court said on Friday while hearing two petitions against a ban on slaughterhouses in Haridwar.

The bench of Chief Justice R S Chauhan and justice Alok Kumar Verma said, “The issue is not minority versus majority. The issue is very simple. What are the fundamental rights of the citizens of India?”

The court has now asked the petitioners to amend their pleas in a week as none of them pleaded that such a ban violates the right to privacy of a citizen. The court remarked that the petitions have not been drafted with “whole-heartedness” that is required in challenging “seminal constitutional issues”.

The pleas filed by some residents of Haridwar had alleged that a ban on slaughterhouses in Haridwar discriminated against minorities as many areas in the district had a substantial Muslim population.

Bench cited surveys on food habits of Indians from 2018 and 2019

On Friday, the bench cited surveys on food habits of Indians from 2018 and 2019. “It’s very glaring data that in Uttarakhand 72.6% of the population is non-vegetarian. In totality, 70% of Indian population is non-vegetarian which busts the myth that the majority of the population is vegetarian,” the court said.

In its previous hearing, the bench had said that a ban like the one in Haridwar calls into question the extent to which the state can determine a citizen’s choices. “The issue is whether a citizen has the right to decide his own diet or will that be decided by the state,” it had said. The court had also said that a civilisation is judged only by how it treats its minorities. “Democracy does not only mean rule by majority but, most importantly, democracy means the protection of the minority,” it had said.

In March, Uttarakhand had declared all areas in Haridwar “slaughterhousefree” and cancelled no objection certificates issued to slaughterhouses. The two petitions in the high court challenged this on two grounds — a blanket ban on meat of any type is unconstitutional, as was the section the Uttarakhand government had inserted into the UP Municipalities Act, 237A, to give itself power to declare an area under a municipal corporation, council or nagar panchayat a “slaughterfree” zone. The court has also asked the petitioners to amend the plea to challenge the constitutional validity of the amendment made to the UP Municipal Corporation Act.

Boost for Chennai transport: MTC adds over 17 buses in 12 routes

Boost for Chennai transport: MTC adds over 17 buses in 12 routes

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation recently resumed and introduced over 17 buses in 12 routes in Porur, Nanganallur and suburban areas of the city.

Published: 23rd July 2021 03:51 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Metropolitan Transport Corporation recently resumed and introduced over 17 buses in 12 routes in Porur, Nanganallur and suburban areas of the city. The buses were recently flagged off by Transport Minister RS Raja Kannappan in presence of Rural Industries Minister TM Anbarasan.

Services on old routes, that had been stopped since last year, were resumed. The routes are 52K (Nanganallur-Broadway), 70N (Nanganallur-CMBT), M18C (Kilkattalai-T Nagar), 166 (Iyyapanthangal-Tambaram), 88C (Thandalam-Broadway), 188C (Kundrathur-Broadway) and 566 (Kundrathur-Thiruporur).

The newly introduced routes are 576 (Mount Metro-T Nagar), S40 (KavulBazar Indra Nagar-Pallavaram), S 165 ( Kovur EB-Pallavaram), S166 (Porur-Manimedu) and 188A (Kundrathur-T Nagar), said a statement from MTC.

Speaking to reporters, Kannappan said about 1.42 crore women travelled in women special ordinary buses between July 12 and 17 without paying ticket fare. “About 60 per cent of women travelled in ordinary services as against the projection of 40 per cent a day. As many as 1.1 lakh persons with disabilities and 17,500 transpersons also availed free travel.”

Govt seeks to tweak law on states’ OBC lists

Govt seeks to tweak law on states’ OBC lists

Subodh.Ghildiyal@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:

The Centre has moved a proposal to amend the 102nd constitutional amendment Act to overturn the May 5 Supreme Court judgment and restore the rights of states to identify the OBCs for the “state list” of castes eligible for Mandal reservations in education and employment under state governments.

Well placed sources said the social justice ministry has moved the Cabinet note. The swift move implies that the bill can be brought in the ongoing monsoon session itself. If so, it could be part of a strategy to break the blockade of Parliament proceedings by the opposition over the Pegasus snooping scandal.

Given the sensitivity of the issue and the rights of states involved, neither Congress nor regional parties can afford to block the bill. It may thus restore normalcy in the Parliament. However, the larger political aim of the Centre is to assure OBCs that their rights, as under state lists, were not being undermined. The move comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi placed emphasis on the OBC representation in the recent Cabinet reshuffle along with women, SCs and STs.

It is learnt that the proposal has suggested specific changes to be made to the Act to clarify that state lists and central list of OBCs are separate and under the jurisdiction of respective governments — as had been the case before the SC judgment. The apex court also rejected a government appeal against the order earlier in July.

While upholding the said Act (102nd) in the Maratha reservation case, the SC held that its provisions implied that OBCs for states and Central lists both were to be identified by the President (Centre) on the recommendations of the national commission for backward classes.